Objectives : The purpose of this study is to identify differences in time, frequency, and methods
of toothbrushing according to knowledge acquirement of oral health between first and third year
dental hygiene students who had relatively sufficient oral health education and students majoring
non-health related field who had less opportunities of oral health education, to emphasize importance
and necessity of the education, and to present basic data for development of effective programs
of oral health education.
Methods : 2,032 dental hygiene students and students majoring non-health related field attending
12 universities in Korea had been selected as subjects and were asked to complete a self-administered
survey time, frequency, and methods of toothbrushing. The SPSS 12.0 program was used for
statistical analysis of the collected data, and the significance of difference by groups was tested by
using chi-square test, the one-way ANOVA and independent t-test. The mean frequency of toothbrushing
per day and the rate of toothbrushing before and after meal were analyzed by using of
multiple comparisons through the Scheffe test as post hoc test.
Results : The rate of toothbrushing after lunch was 60.2% in third year and 39.2% in first year dental
hygiene students, 20.3% in students majoring non-health related field, respectively. The mean frequencies
per day of dental hygiene students were 3.33 times in third year and 2.85 times in first year dental hygiene students, 2.46 times in students majoring non-health related field, respectively. The
rate of toothbrushing after meal among total frequency of toothbrushing per day was 85.36% in
third year and 84.81% in first year dental hygiene students, 77.90% in students majoring non-health
related field, respectively. As for the methods of toothbrushing, 'Turning up and down' was 68.8% in
third year and 43.1% in first year dental hygiene students, 30.6% in students majoring non-health
related field, respectively.
Conclusions : Oral health education through dental hygiene course may improve the oral environment
management of dental hygiene students and oral health education on toothbrushing
should be strengthened for the students majoring non-health related field.
Objectives : The purpose of this study is to identify differences in time, frequency, and methods
of toothbrushing according to knowledge acquirement of oral health between first and third year
dental hygiene students who had relatively sufficient oral health education and students majoring
non-health related field who had less opportunities of oral health education, to emphasize importance
and necessity of the education, and to present basic data for development of effective programs
of oral health education.
Methods : 2,032 dental hygiene students and students majoring non-health related field attending
12 universities in Korea had been selected as subjects and were asked to complete a self-administered
survey time, frequency, and methods of toothbrushing. The SPSS 12.0 program was used for
statistical analysis of the collected data, and the significance of difference by groups was tested by
using chi-square test, the one-way ANOVA and independent t-test. The mean frequency of toothbrushing
per day and the rate of toothbrushing before and after meal were analyzed by using of
multiple comparisons through the Scheffe test as post hoc test.
Results : The rate of toothbrushing after lunch was 60.2% in third year and 39.2% in first year dental
hygiene students, 20.3% in students majoring non-health related field, respectively. The mean frequencies
per day of dental hygiene students were 3.33 times in third year and 2.85 times in first year dental hygiene students, 2.46 times in students majoring non-health related field, respectively. The
rate of toothbrushing after meal among total frequency of toothbrushing per day was 85.36% in
third year and 84.81% in first year dental hygiene students, 77.90% in students majoring non-health
related field, respectively. As for the methods of toothbrushing, 'Turning up and down' was 68.8% in
third year and 43.1% in first year dental hygiene students, 30.6% in students majoring non-health
related field, respectively.
Conclusions : Oral health education through dental hygiene course may improve the oral environment
management of dental hygiene students and oral health education on toothbrushing
should be strengthened for the students majoring non-health related field.